Sanitation trucks, more commonly referred to as garbage trucks, are some of the heaviest, slowest, biggest vehicles that routinely drive on residential streets. This doesn’t mean that those drive them, and those who own the trucks (namely, the city) are always following safety protocol. You may be surprised to know just how many accidents are caused by sanitation trucks every year.
Collisions with garbage trucks can be very serious
Though garbage trucks are generally not going very fast, the fact that they’re so large and heavy means that when they collide with something, it’s not uncommon for the result to be serious and even life-threatening injuries as well as significant damage to property – and that only applies to cars. You can imagine how deadly these trucks can be when it comes to motorcycle, bicyclist, and pedestrian accidents.
While you may think of sanitation trucks as large black trucks, remember that there are also green compost trucks, and of course those blue recycling trucks. Drivers of any of these trucks are required to take specific safety courses before they can drive these vehicles. They must also go a step beyond what a typical driver does to stay safe. They primarily drive in residential neighborhoods, where they are vulnerable to huge blind spots and the fact that there are children playing.
Sanitation truck drivers don’t have full visibility
In the opinion of Law Offices of Michael A. Kahn, it would be helpful if these trucks had backup cameras. In fact, there are a quite a few safety features that would help improve visibility and do away with many of the liability hazards they’re currently victim too. Then there is the fact that these trucks aren’t always maintained as well as they should, which can result in serious accidents as well.
As a result of these and other factors, anytime there’s a sanitation truck accident, it’s important to have a full investigation. It needs to be determined what went wrong and who was liable. If you were involved in an accident with a truck, then your next call should be to Law Offices of Michael A. Kahn at (310) 209-1600. We can provide advice on the next step toward getting what you deserve.
You may be entitled to compensation
If you or a loved one was injured in an accident with one of these trucks then you may be eligible for compensation for a wide range of things, including pain and suffering, lost wages, past and future medical bills, home rehabilitation services, mental suffering, emotional distress, hospital stays, physical disabilities, and other real costs.
If you need help after an accident then you’ll be glad to know that Law Offices of Michael A. Kahn is here to help. We have extensive experience and are here to offer you a free case evaluation. If we do take your case, it will be on a contingency basis, which means you don’t owe a penny until we recover for you.
